INTERESTING STUFF: 9 July 2011

Interesting Stuff is a weekly listing of short takes and links to web items that have caught my attention; some related to aging and some not, some useful and others just for fun.

You are all encouraged to submit items for inclusion. Just click “Contact” in the upper left corner of any Time Goes By page to send them. I’m sorry that I probably won’t have time to acknowledge receipt and there is no guarantee of publication. But when I do include them, you will be credited and I will link to your blog if you have one.

BANANA ATTACKS GORILLA This happened. In Ohio. And the local reporter does a nice job with the puns.

TOO MUCH SITTING IS NOT THE SAME AS TOO LITTLE EXERCISE Some new research indicates that our sedentary life styles can undo the good regular exercise and eating well does for us, reports Patty Henetz in The Salt Lake City Tribune.

”As University of Tennessee researcher Gregory Heath says, ‘Essentially, opportunities for physical activity have been systematically engineered out of our daily lives.’

“We now sit for more hours each day than we sleep. Some studies suggest that sitting more than six hours a day makes a death within 15 years more likely than if we sit just three hours per day — even if we do aerobic exercise.”

Although there is still more research to be done, there is some evidence that the obesity epidemic in the U.S. is connected to the advent of the personal computer. Read more here.

SOUND SCULPTURE Swiss artist Zimoun has been creating a series of audio installations called immersive cardboard structures. It isn’t music – just the sound of various materials, powered by small dc motors, hitting cardboard. Here is a video of one of them:

This one sounds a little like rain and I found it quite soothing. You can see more here. (Hat tip to Nikki of From Where I Sit)

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? On 30 June, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed legislation allowing gun owners to carry concealed weapons into, among other public places, bars.

“The law also prohibits gun owners from consuming alcohol or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs when they carry their weapons into bars.”

Let’s see if I’ve got this right: The sole purpose of a bar is to sell alcoholic beverages. The gun anyone carries into a bar is concealed. So the gun owner is on his or her honor not to drink in an establishment that has no other purpose.

U.S. TREASURY PRINTING LESS MONEY In the most recent fiscal year, the government printed no $10 bills and the number of $5 bills dropped to its lowest number in 30 years. Reports The New York Times,

”In 1970, at the dawn of plastic payment, the value of United States currency in domestic circulation equaled about 5 percent of the nation’s economic activity. Last year, the value of currency in domestic circulation equaled about 2.5 percent of economic activity.”

No one is suggesting cash will go away and that’s good for me. Aside from online and a few other places where it is impossible, I always pay cash. It’s how I keep to a budget. It’s way too easy to go overboard with plastic. Read more here.

PATRIOTIC FLASH MOB At 5PM on the Friday before the 4th of July at a Stop and Shop on Cape Cod, Spirit of America organized a flash music mob to get people in the mood for the annual celebration. Couldn’t tell you why, but watching this made me a little teary – in a good sense. (Hat tip to Darlene Costner)

QUESTION Until last Wednesday or Thursday when the verdict became wall-to-wall news 24/7 for a couple of days, I had never heard of Casey Anthony. Am I the only person in America, do you suppose, who never saw a minute of the trial, knows nothing about it and doesn’t care? Just asking.

SLINKY CAT Nikki of From Where I Sit sent this video. I like the first comment on the video’s YouTube page: “That’s how I go downstairs on Monday morning too.”